Plot[]
Dennis and Billy return drunk from the Orinoco Club at 3.00am. They celebrate the birth of a new star. A furious Elsie catches them dancing on her kitchen table but her mood changes when Dennis tells her he did two songs and two encores. She dreams of the money his success could bring her. Florrie decides to start opening on Sundays, thus incurring Ena's displeasure. Florrie chases her for her slate of £2,1 and a halfpenny. Interested in a local job, Betty Ridgeway calls into the shop while she looks round the area. Ena is annoyed when she gives her cheek. Jack finds Billy sleeping off his night out on the sofa and warns him to watch his behaviour. Christine opens a letter she's put off reading and finds she's won a two-week all inclusive holiday in Cornwall in a raffle. She's delighted as Jean has let her down about going to the Isle of Man with her. A farewell tea is prepared for Billy to which Harry is also invited. Annie lectures Billy on behaving himself in London and not frequenting places like the Orinoco Club. She breaks down when Jack talks about family. Dennis is still on a high with his success but doesn't like the idea of Walter bringing his mother to see him and puts him off the idea. He's not sure he'll ever be asked to do another spot as his success was only due to an emergency. Finding out that the holiday is for two, Christine asks Esther to join her. A pleased Sam Johnson gives Dennis a regular nightly spot at the club for the coming week. The neighbours gather in the Rovers' back room for farewell drinks for Billy. Ena, Minnie and Martha aren't invited and instead bicker over places they could go to on the forthcoming August bank holiday. Billy sweet-talks the three of them into joining in. Billy tells Len and Harry that if he'd had a chance with Betty, he might have been persuaded to stay. As his taxi arrives, he finds Betty in the public waiting to be interviewed for the barmaid's job - just as he's moving out.
Cast[]
Regular cast[]
- Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix
- Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie
- Florrie Lindley - Betty Alberge
- Annie Walker - Doris Speed
- Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie
- Billy Walker - Kenneth Farrington
- Concepta Riley - Doreen Keogh
- Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis
- Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson
- Christine Hardman - Christine Hargreaves
- Esther Hayes - Daphne Oxenford
- Ena Sharples - Violet Carson
- Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant
- Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol
- Lucille Hewitt - Jennifer Moss (Uncredited)
Guest cast[]
Places[]
- Rovers Return Inn - Public/snug and back room
- 11 Coronation Street - Back room and hallway
- 13 Coronation Street - Front room
- Corner Shop
- Orinoco Club - Main club room
Notes[]
- Last appearance of Billy Walker until 14th May 1962.
- Barbara Young makes a pre-Doreen Fenwick appearance as Betty Ridgeway.
- Christine Hardman says she has won the first prize of a holiday in Cornwall but when she bought the ticket in Episode 38 (24th April 1961) it was stated that a television set was the first prize with the Cornish trip being second.
- TV Times: The warm, human story of a street full of ordinary people; their hopes and their dreams; their laughter and their tears (This generic synopsis did not appear in all regional editions)
- Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 5,497,000 homes (3rd place).
| August 1961 episodes |
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